Validation of an analytical model for spiral wound reverse osmosis membrane module using experimental data on the removal of dimethylphenol

A new analytical model for spiral wound RO module has been recently proposed by Sundaramoorthy et al. [1] and the same has been validated [2] with experimental data obtained on a laboratory scale RO unit used for the removal of chlorophenol. In this paper, the need to check the validity of this model with solutes other than chlorophenol is addressed by conducting suitable experiments with dimethylphenol as solute and validating this experimental data with the model. The four model parameters namely solvent transport coefficient Aw, solute transport coefficient Bs, feed channel friction parameter b and the mass transfer coefficient k were estimated. The results show that the mass transfer coefficient is influenced not only by fluid velocity but also by the solvent flux and solute concentration. A new correlation for mass transfer coefficient k, proposed by Sundaramoorthy et al. [2] for experimental data taken with chlorophenol as solute is also shown to be consistent with the experimental readings recorded in this study taking dimethylphenol as solute. Comparison of model predictions with the experimental observations demonstrated the capability of the model in predicting permeate concentration within 12% error, retentate flow within 5% error and rejection coefficient within 2% error. ► Experiments on removal of dimethylphenol in a spiral wound RO module were reported. ► An analytical model for spiral wound RO module was validated with experimental data. ► Model parameters were estimated. ► A correlation for mass transfer coefficient was derived using experimental data. ► Model predictions tested showed good agreement with experimental readings.